QUESTIONS about the contribution made by educationalists to the peace process were raised yesterday by the president of the University of Limerick.
Speaking at the conferring of degrees, Dr Edward Walsh said that at all levels of education embarrassing questions can be asked.
"How active have the universities been and what contributional has the academic community made during the past 25 years to the process of reconciliation and understanding, and to what extent have the universities assisted the political process by bringing into the public arena a constant parade of ideas?
"At primary and secondary level, why have we, North and South, presided over a segregated educational system which continues to isolate the segments of our community? What Government support exists for or is directed towards these strategies?" asked Dr Walsh.
He pointed out that there are 4,158 primary schools on the island and the first multi-denominational school was established in the South in 1978 and in the North seven years later. Today, there are 36 multi-denominational schools and the number is growing. However, it is still so small that in practice some 99 per cent of children attend denominational schools.
"I believe educators, in partnership with both political and church leadership, should now do what is called for and set the wheels in motion to progressively broaden the educational base, making the multi-denominational option an attractive one for those open to considering it.
"In the United States the race riots of the sixties threatened the stability of the nation in a most serious way and the desegregation of the school system was embraced as a fundamental strategy in bridging the gulf between the black and white communities.
"I believe we should adopt the progressive desegregation of school systems as a most important strategy for social integration.
In the short term, a great step forward could be achieved by a renewed IRA ceasefire and if this was joined over the longer term by a sustained and unrelenting reform of our segregated education system, a profound change for the better would result," said Dr Walsh.